Airplane passenger carrier



N. COSAKIS AIRPLANE PASSENGER CARRIER Feb, M 95@ Filved June 25. 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l MG. i.

HCB. 2

INVENTR: cosAms,

NnCOLAs ATTORNEYS,

Feb, M9 i195@ N. cosAKls AIRPLANE PASSENGER CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25. 1946 FIG. 5.

Syvum NICCLAS COSKS,

atented 14,

UNITED STATES PATENT AIRPLANE PASSENGER CARRIER Nicolas Cosakis, Cairo, Egypt Application June 25,1946, Serial No. 679,164

3 Claims. (Cl. 244-118) The present invention relates to passenger carriers for airplanes and is more particularly concerned with an attachable fire and shock resisting carrier.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a separable passenger carrier which is constructed to minimize nre and shock hazards incident to airplane accidents.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier of the character referred to which is selfstabilizing in relation to the varying positions of the airplane, longitudinally and laterally.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to of simpler and more compact construction than prior devices.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention,4

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of an airplane passenger carrier constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of a cross truss of the rotor frame, showing the joure nal in each for the carriers axial support.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the carrier partly in section, transversely.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the fastening means at the bottom of the g longitudinal pneumatic partition mat or cushion.

Figure 6 is a similar view of the upper fastenings means for the partition mat or cushion.

Like numerals, as Iused in the description and drawings, designate the same parts of construction. In its barest essentials the invention comprises a fire-resisting and shock-absorbing ovoid passenger cabin or carrier, mounted revolvably at its polar axis in a rotor designed to be housed perpendicularly in a concentric frame which is attached to an airplane, thus providing longitudinal and lateral adjustment or freedom of pitching and rolling movement to stabilize the normal position of the carrier and maintain the same, when deviations of the airplane from a level position occur longitudinally or laterally.

The body IIJ of the passenger carrier is constructed of aluminum or other suitable metal and, preferably, is ovoid in shape, as shown. It carries over the exterior a thick fire-resisting covering I I of asbestos or other suitable material,

and is provided with suitable doors and windows with shatter proof glass.

While ovoid shape is preferred, other designs or contours for body III, such as spherical, cylindrical and rectangular, may be employed, as desired.

The body is provided exteriorly with spaced annular ribs I2, positioned transversely and having inclined or undercut walls to engage similarly 'fashioned annular channels of rubber rings I3,

which served as shock-absorbers.

nteriorly the body is provided along the ceiling with an integral longitudinal rib I4 and a plurality of integral arcuate ribs I5 on the inner wall, disposed transversely and suitably spacedv Said ribs are channeled longitudinallyl apart. with the side walls thereof inclined and convergent towards the slots of the channels to serve` as one element of a tongue and groove joint, the other element being angular tongues I'I on the interior pneumatic pads, I8 and I9. The former are thus fastened to the ribs on the interior walls, while the latter is arranged to depend longitudinally between seats 20 and divide the carrier into two compartments extending lengthwise thereof.

The seats are preferably bench-like and provided with foot rests 2I. Each bench is preferably constructed as a rubber unit and arrangedl longitudinally back to back to provide seats on each side of the rubber partition, facing outward. The said pneumatic partition pad I9 passes down to thev line between the benches and is anchored at the bottom edge by means of tongues 4I which engage in pockets 22. secured to the undersides of the two benches. .At each end of the cabinl is an annular pneumatic mat 24, secured in placef by ribs, as aforesaid, as further protective means.

The transverse partitions I8 are generally semi-A circular in shape and are secured to the seat structure, the seat back andthe interior of the hollow body tovdvide the longitudinal space at each side of back cushion I9 into individual passenger compartments. A pneumatic cushion 42 is secured to the body above each passenger compartment and a cushion 43 is secured on the inner side of each door 44.

The passenger cabin I0 is provided on each en d and in alignment with its longitudinal axis with xed stud axles 25 which are mounted in hubv discs 26, designed to` bear a nxed relation to the shafts but to be revolvable in ball-races 21 set in transverse trusses 28 of an annular frame which serves as a rotor.

This frame comprises dual concentric rings 29 encircling the ovoid cabin and braced horizontally by the aforesaid trusses and vertically by two diametrically opposed trusses 30. The dual rings are channeled on their peripheries for the reception of ball-bearings 3| designed to be contained in annular tracks or races in the dual rings of a larger but concentric annular outer frame 32, the said two frames being inV juxtaposition to provide the ball-bearing tracks afore. said and thus serve as the suspending means for the rotor-like member which holds the cabin.

The exterior dual rings are suitably. trussed transversely at suitable intervals, preferably quarterly, as at 33, and each is provided on its periphery with four equi-distantA ears 34, arranged intermediate the trusses. These ears project outwardly and are provided with transverse apertures 35. They. are preferably split and one, section isa clamping member which is se-Y cured in place by threaded bolts 36.

The holes 35 in said earsA are in` juxtaposition to, receive four parallel suspension bars, secured transversely to the underside of an airplane, one being indicated in dotted lines at 31 in Figure 4'. l They vsupport the outer frame 32 in xed relation perpendicularly andin. a vertical plane with the longitudinal axis of the airplane. When itis desired for any reasonto dismount the cabin and its said concentric, ring frames, the bolts 36 of the ears 34 arey removed and the outer ring taken off the transverse bars 31.

It should be obvious. from the foregoing description thatv in operation, the passenger cabin is not subject to the inclinations of the airplane in transit. If the planes deviation from level is longitudinal, the exterior frame 32 will rotate on the roller bearingsr to compensate therefor and. if the inclination of the airplane is lateral, the interior frame or ring 29 will rotate on the hubs 26 of the axles of the ca bin suiiiciently to compensate, thus providingv for automatic stabilization oi the cabins position in the air and preventing pitching and tossingV thereof. The hubs 26 are iixedA in relation to the axles of the cabin by meansof diametrically disposed studs 348,A projecting from the nose plates of thecabin and'through said' hubs;

vAs different embodiments may be made of this inventive concept andlmodifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it will be understood thaty thek matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative merely, and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A passenger compartment assembly for aircraft comprising a pair ofspacedhapart, coaxial outer rings of substantially the same diameter,v

said outer rings having respective annular ball channels in their inner sides, means securinglsaid outer rings together in substantially parallel relationship, meanscarriedby said outer rings for securing said assembly to the structure of4 an aircraft, a pair of inner rings disposed one within each of said outer rings, each offsaid inner rings having an annular ball channel complementary to the ball channel in thel corresponding outer ring, anti-friction balls in said channels, means securing said inner -rings together in substantially parallel relationship` including a pairof diametrically-opposed, annular'` ball races, a respective hub disc rotatablymounted in each of said ball races, a hollow, elongated body disposed within saidinner rings and secured at its ends to said hub discs so that its longitudinal centerline is substantially coincident with the common axis of rotation of said hub discs, a pneumatic cushion structure providing a pair of contiguous bench seats extending longitudinally of said body, pneumatic cushion means secured at its top edge to the top of the interior of said body and at its lower edge to said seat structure between said seats providing a back forsaid seats, a pair of pneumatic cushion structures providing internal end walls for said body, a plurality of generally semi-circular pneumatic cushions secured at their edges to the respective seats, said seat back and the interior of said body constituting partitions between individual passenger compartments, and doors in each side of said body disposed one'in each individual' passenger compartment.

2. A shock-and-re-resistant passenger compartment for an aircraft comprising an elongated metallic body of circular cross-sectional shape, a covering of re-resistant materialover said body, doors 'inv the, sides of said body, and pneumatic cushion means secured within said body to provide individual shock-resistant passenger compartments therein, one opposite each of said doors, said pneumatic cushion meanscomprising a seat structure in the lower portion of said body, a seat back extending from said seat structure to the top of said body, partition members between the individual passenger compartments, a cushion extending over the top of each passenger compartment, and a, cushion on the inner side of each door.

3. In combination, a shock-and-.-re-resistant passenger compartment for aircraft, and mounting means theretonsaid compartment comprising an elongated metallic body of circularcross-sectional. shape, a coveringof fire-resistant ma,- terial over 'said body, doors in the sides of saidV body, and pneumatic cushion means secured within said body to provide individual shock-resistant passenger compartments therein, one opposite each of said doors, said pneumatic cushion means comprising a seatr structure in the lower portion of said body, a seat back extending from said seat structure to the. top of said body, partition members between the individual passenger compartments, a cushion extending over thev top of each compartment, and a cushion on the imier sideof each doonrandsaid mounting meanscomprising means operative to secure, said compartment to an aircraitfor freedom of rolling and pitching movement. whereby said compartment may retainl its gravitational, position regardless of any temporary attitude of the airplane.

NICOLAS COSAKIS.

REFERENCES; CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number Name Date 1,281,846v Salari- Oct.l 15, 1918 1,793,788 Fiel; "Feb, 24, 1931 1,902,428 Verstegen Mar. 21, 1933` 2,156,252 Cichero Apr. 25, 1939 2,233,913Y Fey Mar. 4, 1941 2,276,700 Provenzano Mar. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS- Number Country Date 530,566- France Oct. 6, 1921 

